Christmas Time
by Capt. Cow
Summary: How do you enjoy Christmas when your family is half-way around the world?


Christmas Time  
  
Summary- Christmas without a family member is tough, especially when the family member is on the other side of the world.  
  
Other stuff- Slightly related to 'It's the thought that counts' (my other story).  
  
Oh and I've never had a white Christmas, in Australia Christmas is usually like 30 something degree's so sorry if that part of the story is a bit skewed.  
  
Happy Christmas everyone!  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 23rd December 1942 Douglas Hogan and his wife Isabella, sat on the couch in their home. This was going to be their first Christmas without their four sons, Robert, the oldest was in a P.O.W camp somewhere in Germany. Nick, the next son, was flying bombing missions over Germany and the two youngest, Mike and James were near Japan.  
  
Isabella wasn't sure if she could bear not having them home for Christmas. The house seemed so desolate and empty. The Christmas tree hadn't been completely put up yet, because it hadn't felt right doing it without any help.  
  
Isabella sighed and leaned back into the couch. Chritams just wasn't right without family, and for the two of them there was no family to be found. Their daughter Elsie had taken her two kids, Anna and Chris to go visit her husband in England as he was flying missions from there. And, of course the boys were all over the other side of the world.  
  
Suddenly, in through the door burst Elsie, her husband Luke (who was dressed in his Airforce uniform), Anna and Chris.  
  
"Hi mum! Hi dad!" Exclaimed Elsie, "Luke has enough R and R days to come home! We're staying with you guys for Christmas!"  
  
Isabella flew off the couch to hug her daughter.  
  
About an hour later Anna, Elsie and Doug were setting up the Christmas tree while Luke tried to help Chris, who was tangled in tinsel.  
  
Isabella surveyed the small group who were laughing and talking. She smiled to herself, maybe this Christmas would be ok after all. The war had made the family closer than ever. She looked out the window and sent out a silent prayer that her boys would have a good Christmas too.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Colonel Robert Hogan, senior P.O.W at Stalag 13 watched the Christmas preparations going on around him with some amusement. The men had persuaded Schultz to put on a santa suit, and he was now parading around shouting at imaginary reindeer.  
  
Corporal LeBeau was inside, working on a Christmas lunch that he promised would be 'the nicest they had ever tasted' especially Newkirk, because English cooking was so poor and Corporal Anderson, who came from Australia. His usual Christmas lunch involved 'throwing a couple snag's on the barbie' and some good old Aussie beer.  
  
Hogan thought about his usual Christmas lunch. It was usually the traditional Christmas lunch, his mother was a fantastic cook. But it wasn't the food he was going to miss out on that bothered Hogan so much. It was the fact that he wasn't at home with his family.  
  
The thought that he could in fact be home almost in time for Christmas made him want to throw the whole operation out the window, and escape. He longed to be with his family, his niece and nephew, brothers and sister.  
  
Klink's voice broke Hogan out of his thoughts. Klink had seen Schultz in the Santa costume and was now giving him an earful and a half about staying in uniform. Newkirk was unable to speak he was laughing so hard, at the spectacle as Schultz tried to explain that he had thought at Christmas time this was the uniform.  
  
He looked around him, to see Newkirk struggling to breathe, Carter leaning on Kinch to stay on his feet after laughing so hard. And LeBeau coming out rubbing his hand through his hair and complaining about the conditions he was expected to cook in.  
  
Hogan smiled, he did have a family here. Maybe Christmas wouldn't be so bad after all.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
REVIEW!  
  
Sorry it's povo and short but I can only type one handed because of a broken finger. And I wanted to write a Christmas story, so there's my effort.  
  
-Capt.Cow 


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